Polymers made from step growth condensation are used in numerous applications. The properties of these polymers are dependent upon the type of monomer and the backbone structure. For example, polyethylene terephthalate is used for the manufacture of bottles with excellent barrier properties and nylon is useful for the manufacture of strong fibers. Usually, polymers made from step growth polymerization do not have any pendant functional group present along the backbone. However, in several applications, especially for biomedical applications, it would be very useful to have pendant functional groups along the backbone that modulate the physical and chemical properties of the polymers and can be used to provide optimum signaling cues in a biological environment. For example, poly(lactic acid) is commonly used for several biomedical applications since it is biodegradable and has good mechanical properties. However, it lacks any functional group along the backbone and cannot be used to provide any cues to interact with the biological environment. The current invention describes polymers made by step growth polymerization. These functional groups modulate the physical, chemical and biological properties of the polymers. They can also be used to conjugate appropriate groups to provide the desired functional outcome.